A gentle story for children about the loss of a teacher. A girl and her primary school classmates deal with the illness and death of their young teacher, Miss Evans. From first hearing about their teacher’s illness, to seeing her visit school in a wheelchair having lost her hair and subsequently hearing the sad news that she has died. The children work with the other teachers to find ways to remember Miss Evans, including creating a tree full of memory leaves.
For those just past the Early Readers stage, Jasper: Space Dog is a fun and easy to read first chapter book. The book is written in the form of letters from Jasper (and his human owner, Charlie) to Dr Isabella Starr, Rocket Scientist. The letters from Charlie and Jasper are silly and light; they ask questions such as ‘Is the moon made of cheese?’, ‘Do astronauts eat hotdogs?’, and ‘Did the astronauts see a man in the moon?’.
Dr Starr’s replies are fun too, but also provide interesting facts. Did you know that the landing module Eagle was originally going to be called Haystack? ‘Houston, the Haystack has landed’ doesn’t have quite the same ring! Or that the astronauts couldn’t afford life insurance, so they each signed hundreds of photos to be sold if they didn’t make it back to raise money for their families. Jasper: Space Dog provides young readers with all of these answers and more.
Nominated for a number of prestigious awards, this poetic new book brings the memories associated with World War I to a level suitable for younger children. Perfect for use around Remembrance Day, Where the Poppies Now Grow tells the story of best friends Ben and Ray, who swap their simple lives on countryside farms for the raging battlefields of France. This book is rare in its ability to make both the narrative and illustrations poignant and evocative without being too frightening or graphic for young children. You may also like Flo of the Somme and The Christmas Truce by the same authors.
Peace Lily is a rhyming story that celebrates the humanity and compassion that thrive even in the darkest of times. Lily is a nurse at Passchendaele, working in a hospital tent to treat those wounded in battle. This is a moving story that explores the important contribution made by women on the front line during World War One.
review
Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:
Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:
Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?
Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?
Would you recommend the book for use in primary schools?
yes
Curriculum links (if relevant)
Curriculum links (if relevant)
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Any other comments